


Clotpoles and Candy

by thearchangelofsass



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Fluff, Idiots, M/M, SO FLUFFY, arthur is still a prat, days of spoop, like 2 seconds of angst, merlin loves halloween decorations, ohmigod
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-28
Updated: 2015-10-28
Packaged: 2018-04-28 16:17:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5097119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thearchangelofsass/pseuds/thearchangelofsass
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>prompt: fuCK YOU SCARED ME! I’m so gonna get you back for that au</p>
            </blockquote>





	Clotpoles and Candy

**Author's Note:**

> set in an alternate universe where Arthur comes back to life and he and Merlin sell relics from camelot and move to America to start a new life together.

            “Merlin, what on earth are you doing?” Arthur asks when he sees his boyfriend on the floor of their living room, pulling apart wads of cotton balls.

            "I'm making fake cobwebs, your highness," Merlin replies, taking a small, mocking bow. Arthur smiles as he sees a piece of cotton fluff caught in Merlin’s hair.

            “I thought I told you not to call me that," He says, sitting down next to the other man.  Merlin makes a non-committal grunt as he feels a pair of arms wrap around his torso from behind. “It’s just me. Arthur.” Merlin feels the warmth of Arthur’s breath against the shell of his ear and smiles.

            “Clotpole.” Merlin mumbles as Arthur combs the cotton out of his hair.

            “Why _are_ you so into these… Halloween decorations?” Arthur asks. “I’ve been finding fake spiders in the oddest places.   _And_ there's still glitter all over the coffee table.” Merlin smiles sheepishly at that.

             “It’s a holiday, Arthur! You should be celebrating.” Merlin’s raises his eyebrows. “You don’t have to complain about everything.”

             “I know, I know,” Arthur says, gesturing with his hands. “But it’s so dreadfully American, and you know I-”

              “Oh I’m sorry, do you want to move back to England then?” Merlin snaps, breaking out of Arthur’s grip. “Just sell the house and get your rusty old armor back? Just go and lay back down, dead?” Arthur's mouth opens in shock as Merlin stands up. “So I’m sorry everything is so _dreadful_ here in America.” He finishes before stalking out of the room.

               Arthur cradles his face in his hands as he hears a door slam somewhere in the house. He’d never meant to seem ungrateful, especially not to Merlin. He knew how much effort it had taken to get enough money to come to America, not to mention getting a nice house in a good neighborhood where they didn’t have to worry about getting evicted every month. Arthur curses himself for complaining about the glitter. The glitter is bad, yes, but upsetting Merlin is much worse.

              After thinking of a decent apology, Arthur goes up to their room and finds his boyfriend lying on one side of the bed. He had the feeling that Merlin would come up there for some peace and quiet. Merlin has his back to the door, and somehow seeing him like that makes Arthur feel even worse.

              “Merlin?” No response.

              “Merlin, I’m sorry about what I said before.” Arthur sits on the bed cautiously, about a foot away from his motionless boyfriend. “I…I never,” He pauses, trying to collect his thoughts. “I never wanted you to feel like I was—ungrateful.” He sighs when Merlin doesn't stir. Arthur takes a deep breath, steeling himself. “I was being an idiot.” He finally finishes. He thinks that he sees a slight stir in the form beside him and scoots a few inches closer. “Merlin?” Still nothing, even after several minutes of silence. Arthur sighs again and looks out towards the door. He's never been good with words, especially not ones from the heart.

               “Boo.” Merlin grins and begins laughing as Arthur yelps and nearly falls off the bed. Arthur is at once happy to hear his boyfriend laughing again but at the same time annoyed at himself for being scared so easily.

               “You—You startled me!” Arthur exclaims indignantly, trying desperately to regain his composure.

               “You deserved it for being a prat," Merlin replies with a mischievous grin. Arthur feels a sudden pang of remorse and moves across the bed to embrace Merlin.

                “I’m sorry.” Arthur whispers.

                “It’s okay.” Merlin breathes. “I know you didn’t mean it.” He squeezes Arthur a little tighter, clutching at the Arthur’s shirt.

                "And I am so getting back at you!”

                "I'd like to see you try," Merlin says, a smirk emerging on his face.

                “Just you wait.”

***

                 By nightfall, Arthur still hasn’t acted upon his great promise of revenge. Merlin is back in a good mood though, and the former king feels a warmth in his chest as his boyfriend approaches him with a porcelain bowl of candy.

                 "I'm gonna sit on the porch and wait for trick-or-treaters," Merlin says. “You coming?” Arthur nods, mostly because he’ll get to hold Merlin’s hand as they’re sitting but also because an idea is beginning to form in his head.

                 "I still don't get it, though," Arthur says, “isn’t it a bit strange that you’re handing out candy to random children?”

                 “Arthur, I have magic.”

                 “Fair point.”

***

                  By 9:00 Merlin has completely forgotten about Arthur's “plan”. He is utterly focused on the steady stream of children coming to their house, his face lighting up every time a new group comes up to the porch. Arthur’s never been good with children, but when Arthur sees the tenderness in Merlin’s face as he holds out candy for grubby fingers, and can’t stop himself from getting into the spirit. He calls out a loud hello each time another child approaches their door and makes an effort to tell each child their costume is special, even if he thinks it’s truly hideous. He gets so into that he doesn’t notice Merlin’s fond smile.

                  “You don’t have to try so hard.” Merlin whispers as a little girl in a princess costume walks away. “I know this isn’t really your thing.”

                  “But I want to.” Arthur insists stubbornly. Merlin rolls his eyes.

                  “We can watch a movie later on the couch. This doesn’t go on all night.”

                  "Oh thank God," Arthur says. Merlin kisses his cheek, then immediately refocuses on dispensing candy. In that moment, Arthur can’t help but wonder how he is lucky enough to have Merlin. He almost feels bad about his plan to scare his boyfriend, but it’s a now or never type of deal. “I’m just gonna go into the house and get more candy.” Merlin nods noncommittally as Arthur gets up, and continues to ask a little boy if he wants a Snickers or an Almond Joy. Arthur lingers in the doorway for a moment, but eventually forces himself to turn away. _Now_ , Arthur thinks, _where was that skeleton mask that Merlin was waving about the other day._

_***_

                    It’s 9:30 now and the flow of trick-or-treaters has slowed to a trickle. Most of the kids are in bed by now, save only a few teenagers and a lone adult. He's starting to wonder if Arthur has gone to the store but doesn't think anything of it. _He probably just wanted to get away,_ Merlin thinks ruefully. Boyfriend or not, Arthur is still Arthur, pure and simple. Around 15 minutes later that Merlin starts to get worried. No more trick-or-treaters have come by, and a chill is starting to set into his bones. He feels a vague foreboding feeling in his gut, which is only worsens when he starts to hear a wailing. It starts quiet, then gets louder and louder. It appears to be coming from all directions, reverberating through the trees. Merlin instinctively conjures a flame in his hand, not worrying about anyone seeing his powers. Then the wailing stops suddenly. Merlin turns around, keeping the flame in his hand lit. He scans the area, trying to pinpoint the source of noise. Then he hears a twig snap and whirls around to face the pathway.

                    “Merrrlinnn.” A voice says from behind him. Merlin turns around again and shouts, stumbling backwards onto the path as he comes face to face with a skeleton. _A skeleton_ , he wonders

                     “Arthur, you prat!” Merlin exclaims as his boyfriend takes the mask off.  “You absolute—auGh.” He extinguishes the flame in his hand, now embarrassed.

                     "I told you I would get back at you," Arthur says, a smirk on his face. Merlin continues to make a series of incoherent noises, wildly waving about the empty candy bowl as he does so. Arthur puts a conciliatory hand on Merlin’s arm, trying to calm his boyfriend. “I tell you what, why don’t we go inside and relax.” This enough to stop Merlin  for a moment.

                     “Only if we can watch a horror movie," Merlin replies bitterly. "With lots of jump scares.” Arthur’s brow crinkles in confusion.

                     “You still haven’t really explained to me how movies work though Merlin, I mean—”

                     “Come on,” Merlin says, pushing his boyfriend into the house.

                     “And horror movies especially. Why would you watch something just to get terrified? And—”

                     “Do you want me to make the popcorn?”

                     “Yes, please.”

***

                      Later that night as Arthur sits on the couch, a fast asleep Merlin dozing in his arms as the credits of _The Orphanage_ roll, he realizes that Halloween has inadvertently become one of his favorite holidays. Despite the screaming and the glitter and the costumes, there is something inexplicably timeless about the day, something that he can't quite put his finger on. Or so he thinks, as he tenderly strokes Merlin’s hair.

                       From then on, they make it a tradition to decorate their house as outrageously as possible and to watch a horror movie after all of the little kids have gone to bed. Arthur even starts baking themed cupcakes that serve as a centerpiece on their kitchen island. Merlin smiles as he helps Arthur frost them, and marvels at the change that has come over his boyfriend. So it really isn’t a surprise that Arthur proposes a few years later, on Halloween, after he’d told Merlin they’d be watching _The Ring_ that night.


End file.
